Stringed musical instrument



Patented May 25, 19%;?

U N IT'ED: STATES BN7]? FF [C E STRZNGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Harry G. Sloan, Buifalo, Mo.

Application August 5, 1947, Serial No. 766,303

6'Clahns. 1

This invention relates to musical instruments, and more particularly to instruments of the harp type.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved stringed "instrument designed for playing chords and accompaniments whicn'is simple'in' constructions, easy to manipulate'and'which may be'played in the manner of a'steel guitar.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved stringedinstrument which is compact'in' size'an'dis provided with a pianoaction, said instrument having only a small number of moving p'arts'and' being relatively inexpensive to manufacture;

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings; wherein:

Figure 1' is a top plan view, partly broken away," of 'ai stringed" musical instrument constructed in accordance With the present invention.

Figure" 2 is abottom enlarged perspective view of the piano action mechanismemployed inthe instrument of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the instrument of'Figure 1 showing the piano action" mechanism thereof;

Figure4 isan enlarged cross-sectional detail view"ta1 en' on'line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure'5" is a side elevational view, partly in cross-section of the instrument of Figure 1.

Flgurefi is anenlargedcross-sectional detail viewtaken'on line 6-5 ofFigure 1.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a steel adapted tobe used with the stringed instrument of Figure'l.

Referring to'the drawings, ll designates the body of the instrument, said body, being generally slmilar toithatof'a'guitar; The instrument has an elongatedneck portion l2"'at the end of which is a head I3.: Rotatably secured in the head I3 are the string-tightening keys 4 to each of which is secured a'string, the strings being ten in number and-being designated at IE to 24 respectively, Neck-portion IZ-isprovided with the conventional spacedfret marks 25 over which the strings extend. There are twelve marks, representing the twelve tones of the chromatic scale.

At theiropposite ends the strings are secured tea-supportiflwhich is fastened to the body I i, and; underlying the" strings adjacent said support is 'a transverse bridge member 21.

Secured to the body I I at its sidemarginal,

edges are opposed upstandingbr-acket members- 28, 28- on whichisfasten'eda-transversebar member 29. Secured'to the lower forward-corner portion of the bar member. and directed diagonally downward-1y therefrom are fourspaced eye members 30. Y

Secured in the respectiveouter pairs of eye members 33', 30 are the respective shaft members 31, iii, each shaft member 3| extending parallel to bar member 29. Pivotally mounted attheir intermediate portions between the-two innereye members 30 are ten lever members designated at 32 to 45, respectively, said lever-members :overlying therespective-strings i5to-24e Thelever members are notched ateach sideof theirpivoted portions and engaged over the notched portion of each lever member are the parallel depending fingers 42; 42 ofasupporting-bar 43 vertically secured to and depending from the transverse bar member 29. through the fingers 42; 42 of-each-bar 43and through the intervening-notched portion of the associated lever member, whereby the-levermember is rotatably supported on the--'-pi-vot pin.

Secured to the forward end of-each lever member is a stiff rod element 44' to the end'of which is secured a-member 45 which-carries a notched felt mute 46 adapted to bear on the sub-adjacent string associated with the lever member.- Secured to each supporting-bar 43 isa spring arm 4-7 which bears on the forwardend portion of the associated lever member and biases-the felt mute 45 carried thereby into muting engagement with its string. All strings are therefore normallymuted by said felt mutes 4,6.-

Pivotally connected to-the-shaft' members 31 between theinner pair of eye-members-Siland' the outer pair of saideye members arethe re-- spective-ends of the'arms'of four U-shaped members shown respectively-at 4-8; 49; 50and 51'. The

innermost U-shaped'memb'ers 48 and-4:9 extend forwardly and underlie the forward ends of the lever members 32 to 4landthe outermost U- shaped members 50' and 5| extendrearwardly' and overlie therearends of saidlever-members;

Secured to saidu-shapedmembers' l-s to" Hand extending rearwardly from' one of the" shaft members 3| are the'respective" levers 52 to 55,

arranged so that when the-levers 52"and 53*are respectively'depressed the U-shaped members 4! and 49' are respectively rocked upwardly; and when the levers 54 and 55 are respectivelyde pressed, the U-shaped members 50 and 51 are respectively rocked" downwardly:

As shown in Figure 3;thelevenmembers 32; 34-,-

A-pivot pin 3i passes-- 35 and 4| carry felt blocks 56 which underlie the cross arms of both of the U-shaped members 50 and 5|. The lever members 31 and 39 carry felt blocks 51 which underlie the cross arm of U- shaped members 5| and the lever members 33 and 38 carry felt blocks 58 which underlie the cross arm of the U-shaped member 50.

As shown in Figure 2, the lever members 4|, 38, 36, 3'4, 33 and 32 carry felt blocks 59 which overlie the cross arms of the U-shaped members 48 and 49. The lever member 40 carries a felt block 60 which overlies only the cross arm of the U-shaped member 49.

By depressing the lever 52, the cross arm of U-shaped member 48 engages the felt blocks 59 and rocks the lever members 4|, 38, 36, 34, 33 and 32 upwardly, releasing the strings 24, 2|, I9, I1, I6 and I5.

By depressing the lever 53, the cross arm of U-shaped member 49 engages the felt blocks 59 and 60 and rocks the lever members 4|, 46, 38, 36, 34, 33 and 32 upwardly, releasing the strings 24,-23, 2|, I9, I1, I6 and I5.

By depressing the lever 54, the cross arm of the U-shaped member 50 engages the felt blocks 56 and 58 and rocks the lever members 32, 33, 34, 35, 38 and 4|, releasing the strings I5, I6, I1, I8, 2| and 24.

By depressing the lever 55, the cross arm of the U-shaped member 5| engages the felt blocks 56 and 51, and rocks the lever members 32, 34, 35, 31, 39 and 4|, releasing the strings I5, I1, I8, 29, 22 and 24.

Each of the levers 52 to 55 thus controls the release of a predetermined group of strings whose simultaneous vibration will produce a desired chord structure.

Secured to the brackets 28, 28 and overlying the transverse bar member 29 and the major portion of the action mechanism above described is a transverse protective cover plate 6|, made of suitable material such as plywood or plastic.

The instrument is intended for playing chords and accompaniments and is held on the players lap and played in the manner of a steel guitar. The players left hand holds a steel, such as is shown at 62 in Figure 7, and the wide bar portion, shown at 63, of said steel is placed transversely on the strings over the fret marks 25 on neck I2. The four fingers of the players right hand operate the four key levers 52 to 55, and a pick which is secured to the thumb of the players right hand is drawn across the strings, producing a chord.

The strings I5 to 24 are preferably respectively tuned in the following pitch sequence: C, G, C, D sharp, E, F sharp, G, A, B fiat and C. When key lever 52 is depressed by the first finger, strings 24, 2|, I9, I1, I6 and I5 are released, as above described, and a major chord will be produced when the pick is drawn across the strings.

When key lever 53 is depressed by the second finger, strings 24, 23, 2|, I9, I1, I6 and I5 are released, as above described, and a dominant 7th chord will be produced when the strings are vibrated by the pick.

When key lever 54 is depressed by the third finger of the right hand strings I5, I6, I1, I8, 2| and 24 will be released, as above described, providing a minor chord when the strings are vibrated.

When key lever 55 is depressed by the fourth finger of the right hand, strings I5, I1, I8, 20, 22 and 24 are released, as above described, providing a diminished 7th chord when the strings are vibrated.

The above four different chords can be produced by manipulating the key levers while the strings are open, that is, without using the steel 62, These four chords are as follows:

C major C dominant 7th C minor C diminished 7th When the steel is placed over the first fret mark, the same four chords may be produced in the key of C sharp. When the steel is placed over the second fret mark, the corresponding four chords may be produced in the key of D.

As there are twelve fret marks 25 on neck I2, representing the twelve tones of the chromatic scale, the instrument can produce the following chords using only the wide bar portion 63 of steel 62:

12 major chords 12 dominant chords l2 minor chords 3 diminished 7th chords Diminished 7th chords can be produced at all twelve fret marks, but because of the peculiar construction of the chord there are only three diminished 7th chords in music. The other nine diminished 7th chords are simply repetitions of the first three and are the same chords played in a higher register.

The steel 62 has the wide bar 63 and a narrow bar 64 hinged to bar 63 at 65. Bar 64 is biased toward bar 63 by a spring 66. Secured to bar 64 and passing slidably through an aperture 61 in bar 63 is an arcuate rod 68 provided at its end with a knob 69. When the steel 62 is held in the players left hand, the knob 69 may be pressed by the second finger of the left hand to spread the bars 63 and 64 apart by varying amounts. Narrow bar 64 has a depending lug 10 at its free end.

When the wide bar 63 of the steel is placed over any fret mark the narrow bar 64 may be spread from said wide bar so that the lug 16 engages string 2| at the next adjacent fret mark; when lever key 52 is depressed and the strings are vibrated an augmented 5th chord can be produced. In this manner, twelve augmented 5th chords can be produced.

When the wide bar 63 of the steel is placed over any fret mark 25, the narrow bar 64 may be spread from said bar so that lug 16 engages string 24 two fret marks away from saidwide bar; when lever key 53 is depressed and the strings are vibrated, a dominant 9th chord can be produced.

Thus, a total of 63 different chords can be produced on the instrument, as follows:

12 major chords 12 dominant 7th chords 12 minor chords 12 augmented 5th chords 12 dominant 9th chords 3 diminished 7th chords members, felt washers 1| are provided on the pivot shafts 3|.

At eachside of the pivoted portions of the U-shaped While a specific embodiment of a stringed musical instrument has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stringed instrument of the guitar type, a support extending transversely of and overlying the strings, a plurality of levers pivotally secured to said support for rotation around a transverse axis, each lever being vertically aligned with a string, and carrying at its end a damper adapted to engage said string, means biasing the dampers downwardly into muting engagement with the respective strings, and means for selectively rotating predetermined groups of said levers to lift their dampers simultaneously out of engagement with their associated strings.

2. In a stringed instrument of the guitar type, a support extending transversely over the strings, a plurality of pivot pins secured to said support in parallel relation thereto, a plurality of levers rotatably mounted on said pivot pins, each lever being in vertical alignment with a string and carrying at its end a damper adapted to engage said string, means biasing the dampers downwardly into muting engagement with the respective strings, a pivot bar secured to said support, a plurality of members pivoted to said pivot bar and having transverse portions extending adjacent the levers, and means on the levers formed and arranged to coact with said members so that predetermined difierent groups of said levers will be rotated to lift their dampers simultaneously out of engagement with their associated strings responsive to the rotation of each member.

3. In a stringed instrument of the guitar type, a support extending transversely over the strings, a plurality of pivot pins secured to said support in parallel relation thereto, a plurality of levers rotatably mounted on said pivot pins, each lever being in vertical alignment with a string and carrying at its end a depending damper adapted to engage said string, means biasing the dampers downwardly into muting engagement with the respective strings, a pivot bar secured to said support and parallel thereto, a plurality of U- shaped members pivoted to said pivot bar and having their cross arms extending transversely adjacent the levers, and means on the respective levers coacting with said cross arms to lift predetermined groups of dampers simultaneously out of engagement with their strings responsive to the rotation of each U-shaped member.

4. In a stringed instrument of the guitar type, a support extending transversely over the strings,

a plurality of pivot pins secured to said support in parallel relation thereto, a plurality of levers rotatably mounted on said pivot pins, each lever being in vertical alignment with a string and carrying at one end 9, depending damper adapted to engage said string, means biasing the dampers downwardly into muting engagement with the respective strings, a pivot bar secured to said support parallel thereto, a U-shaped member pivoted to said pivot bar and having its cross arm extending transversely adjacent the levers, and block elementson certain of said levers adjacent said, cross bar, whereby said certain levers will be rotated by said cross bar when the U- shaped member is rotated without disturbing th remaining levers.

5. In a stringed instrument of the guitar type,

a support extending transversely over the strings,

a plurality of levers rotatably secured to said support, each lever being vertically aligned with a string and carrying at one enda depending damper adapted to engage said string, means biasing the dampers downwardly into muting engagement with the respective strings, a plurality of U-shaped members pivoted to said support, certain of said members having their cross arms transversely overlying the levers and the remainder of .said members having their cross arms transversely underlying the levers, and block elements secured to the levers adjacent the respective cross arms, said block elements being formed and arranged to coact with the cross arms so thatpredetermined groups of levers will be rotated to lift their associated strings responsive to the rotation of each U-shaped member.

6. In a stringed instrument of the guitar type, a support extending transversely over the strings, a plurality of levers rotatably secured to said support, each lever being vertically aligned with a" string and carrying at one end a depending damper adapted to engage said string, means biasing the dampers downwardly into muting engagement with the respective strings, a plurality of U-shaped members pivoted to said support, certain of said members having their cross arms transversely overlying the rearward free portions of the levers and the remainder of said members having their cross arms transversely underlying the forward free portions of the levers, block elements secured to the levers adjacent the respective cross arms, said block elements being formed and arranged to coact with the cross arms so that predetermined different groups of levers will be rotated to lift their dampers simultaneously from their associated strings responsive to rotation of each U-shaped member, and operating arms secured to the respective U- shaped members and extending adjacent to each other at one side of the strings.

HARRY G. SLOAN. 

